Liberty Bank

Fund Raiser Scams

Fund Raiser Scams

9/29/2009

Recently in the St. Louis area, several people have fallen victim to a very convincing scam at their own front door.

Scammers are going door to door in the metro area making 'emotionally appealing' pitches to solicit donations according to Chris Thetford of the Better Business Bureau. Currently, variations of the door to door scam include selling books to benefit children in Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital and soliciting donations to help local students fund an internship in England.

According to Fran Wulfers, a Foundation representative with Cardinal Glennon, had this to say about the bogus fund raising attempt. "Cardinal Glennon never conducts door-to-door fund-raising, and we never ask someone explicitly for a cash donation."

As we approach the holiday season in the coming months, there will undoubtedly be an increase in charitable organizations attempting to raise funds. However, it is important to remember to do your homework before you consider making any charitable donation.

Scammers who are pretending to be a charitable organization commonly use a name switching ploy – while you may donate regularly to the American Cancer Society, you may receive a phone call from the Cancer Society of America or the North American Cancer Society requesting donations. The scammers have added extra words in the name of the organization or switched their order so that it looks and sounds authentic but is, in reality, a scam.

The best way to identify if it is a legitimate organization is to NEVER give any information over the phone and to request information mailed to you, but it is also wise to verify the organization through the Better Business Bureau. Their offices can be reached by phone at (314) 645-3300 or on the web at www.bbb.org .

Should you have any other questions or concerns, you are also encouraged to call anyone at Liberty Bank and we will be happy to assist you.